December 2006

From the Founders

Celebrate Your Spirit

December is, for many, a holiday season. For everyone, it is a time for lots of traffic, noise, and stress. We’ve all heard that stress is one of the leading causes of illness. So, what is all this stress, this thing we feel in our bodies…the silent but seen-in-our-face energy? Stress is basically a fight-or-flight response to a perceived threat.

Stress can be experienced in a physical way from something like having to navigate through too many people at the mall. It can also be experienced in an emotional way, as in, “Oh my gosh, the family is coming.” When you’re experiencing stress, all your body knows is that something is out of whack and it needs to reclaim balance and harmony. The good thing is that The Body’s Way knows what to do. Your hypothalamus runs to your aid and releases noradrenalin and adrenaline. These and other hormones trigger a cascade of actions that put you in a state of hyper-alertness. This hyper-alertness is actually good, unless it becomes your default setting, your way of being, meaning that your stress is now something you cannot escape from.

Stress can be good when it is recognized for its value and when it is digested and metabolized in a healthy way. This season, condition yourself to release day-to-day stresses, moment-by-moment. For example, when you notice a tightening in your muscles, deactivate tension by shaking your limbs, fingers, and whole body. When you notice shallow breathing, ‘smell the moment’ and exhale longer. Learn to deactivate negative physical habits and reactions when you feel stress — imagine tension rolling off you like raindrops. And, by all means, don’t take on other people’s stress. Be aware of the separation between what is really your stress and what is really other people’s stress. Stay on your side of the fence!

And by all means, don’t forget your Nia class! Exercise is one of the best medicines for releasing stress, particularly in a Nia class where you are given the freedom to make sound, kick and punch. Being with others in community can be comforting, particularly around the holiday season when so many people feel lonely and isolated. Most of all, celebrate the season by celebrating your spirit.

In Love and Light,

Carlos Rosas and Debbie Rosas
Founders of the Nia Technique

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